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Health

Lost Medication- Litherland

Merseyside Police is appealing for the public to be cautious after prescription medication was reported to have been lost yesterday (Monday, 12 June 2017).

Officers received a report at about 5.50pm yesterday that 26 x 50mg Tramadol tablets in a white chemist bag had been lost somewhere between Hatton Hill Road and Hawthorne Road in Litherland between 12.30pm and 5.50pm yesterday.

Officers are reminding people that taking any medication which has not been prescribed for them can be dangerous and, in some circumstances, can prove fatal.

Anyone who finds any of the medication is asked to hand it in to any pharmacy or police station or call officers on the 101 number.

Health commissioners invite public for a ‘Big Chat’

Sefton residents are invited to book a place at their local Big Chat 8 event to discuss health services and give their views on their local NHS.

NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS Southport and Formby CCG are encouraging residents to come along to hear an update on their latest work. They will also be invited to take part in some workshop style discussions to gather people’s views.

Dr Rob Caudwell, chair of NHS Southport and Formby CCG, said: “Our Big Chat events give you the chance to come and talk to us about your health services and to hear about our plans for the year ahead.”

Dr Andrew Mimnagh, chair of NHS South Sefton CCG, said: “The public’s view is vital in what we do to move plans forward so we value your opinions and hope you can make it.”

Update on measures to protect poultry against avian flu

Prevention zone and poultry gatherings ban to be lifted in England on 15 May, with localised measures in Lancashire, Cumbria and Merseyside.

The UK Chief Veterinary Officer has confirmed that measures currently in place to reduce the risk of Avian Influenza will be lifted as planned across most of England from 15 May 2017. However, they will remain in place in targeted areas of Lancashire, Cumbria and Merseyside following evidence of heightened risk in these areas.

The latest risk assessment published by Defra finds overall risk across England has not increased, but there is a heightened risk in parts of Lancashire, Cumbria and Merseyside, where recent confirmed cases in the Wyre district provide evidence that infection is still either circulating in wild resident birds or present in the environment.

To minimise the risk of disease spreading in this area, a new, targeted Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) will be introduced covering the districts of Barrow-in-Furness, South Lakeland, Lancaster, Blackpool, Wyre, Fylde, Preston, Sefton, West Lancashire, South Ribble and Chorley. This will replace the England-wide AIPZ that we previously announced would be lifted from 15 May.

The new localised AIPZ will require keepers to continue to observe existing mandatory disease prevention measures such as minimising movement in and out of bird enclosures, cleaning footwear, keeping areas where birds live clean and tidy and feeding birds indoors. It will remain under review.

Poultry gatherings in the localised AIPZ area will continue to be banned, and keepers from the area will not be able to take their poultry to gatherings elsewhere.

The risk in these parts of Lancashire, Cumbria and Merseyside is considered higher because the region is home to significant wild waterfowl populations and there have been previous outbreaks of H5N8 throughout this area. Recent cases in backyard flocks provide evidence that infection is still either circulating in wild resident birds or present in the environment.

An AIPZ requiring keepers to observe strict disease prevention measures and a ban on poultry gatherings have been in place across England since December 2016. From 15 May 2017, keepers across most of England will no longer be required by law to follow these measures. They should continue to follow industry standard best practice on biosecurity, including minimising movement in and out of bird enclosures, cleaning footwear, keeping areas where birds live clean and tidy and feeding birds indoors. Poultry gatherings can resume in all areas outside the remaining AIPZ, but poultry from the affected districts of Lancashire, Cumbria and Merseyside will not be able to attend.

The Government will continue to review all disease control measures based on the latest scientific evidence and veterinary advice.

Further information

The new AIPZ will cover the districts of Barrow-in-Furness, South Lakeland, Lancaster, Blackpool, Wyre, Fylde, Preston, Sefton, West Lancashire, South Ribble and Chorley. From 15 May you will be able to check if you are affected using the interactive map

The Government continually reviews disease control measures in light of new scientific evidence and veterinary advice. The latest assessment from Defra is that overall risk in England remains ‘low’, comparable with risk levels in November 2016, and should continue to fall in warmer, drier spring weather conditions. Based on this assessment, the decision has been taken to lift the ban on gatherings and the Avian Flu Prevention Zone across most of England from 15 May.

Members of the public should report dead wild birds, such as swans, geese, ducks, gulls or birds of prey, to the Defra helpline on 03459 33 55 77. Defra will then collect some of these birds and test them to help us understand how the disease is distributed geographically and in different types of bird.

Public Health England advises the risk to public health is very low and the Food Standards Agency has said there is no food safety risk for UK consumers

Change of dates for CCG health meetings

Health commissioners in Sefton have released revised meeting schedules for their bi-monthly governing bodies, which borough residents are welcome to attend to hear more about their local NHS.

It means that governing body meetings for NHS Southport and Formby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS South Sefton CCG will now take place in early May, a month earlier than previously advertised.

Chief officer for both CCGs, Fiona Taylor, explained: “Governing bodies are the CCGs most important business meetings where members of the group discuss and make decisions about local health services.

“We’ve moved our meetings to earlier in the month so information presented to the governing bodies is more timely, and we have changed the month when they are held so they fall outside the main summer holiday period to give as many people as possible the chance to come along and listen in to our discussions.”

CCGs are responsible for planning and buying, or ‘commissioning’ the majority of local health services and governing bodies are accountable for their work. The NHS organisations welcome anyone with an interest in their work to come along and listen to the discussions of the doctors, nurses, health professionals and lay representatives who make up the governing bodies.

All governing body meetings start at 1pm and time is set aside before they formally begin for people to ask any questions they might have.

The next governing body meetings take place on the following new dates:

Be prepared if you get sick over Easter

With Easter fast approaching, local health professionals are reminding people to examine their options should they or their family members become unwell over the long weekend.

Many GP practices will be closed on the bank holidays over Easter, so it is also wise for people to think about repeat prescriptions they will need before the holiday period begins.

Dr Rob Caudwell, a Southport GP and NHS Southport and Formby CCG chair, said: “We remind people to examine their options all year round but it is even more important over the bank holidays when GP practices are closed.

“We want to make sure that people have a good Easter break and that they use the right service should they need it. We don’t want patients to become poorly and have to spend part of their holiday in hospital. Another thing we don’t want to happen is for people to run out of their medication but it is also important that they don’t over order to avoid unnecessary waste.

Dr John Caine, a GP in Parbold and chair at NHS West Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “We are reminding people about the services on offer to them such as advice on the NHS choices website and by calling NHS 111 which will be invaluable over Easter.

“Your pharmacist can also give you useful advice on how to deal with common bugs, such as coughs, colds, sore throats and the flu so that you can take precautions and have a great Easter.”

The local NHS CCGs in Southport, Formby and West Lancashire are reminding people that A&E and 999 services are for life-threatening and serious conditions.

Feeling Unwell? – Examine Your Options

Across the area there are a range of health services to support people if they feel unwell or have any health concerns. There are services which you may be unfamiliar with, but could be more appropriate and convenient for you depending on your specific issue.

For minor ailments and injuries your best route to recover is likely to be self-care. There are a variety of services that can support you to do this:

Pharmacy Services

Your local pharmacy can offer free, confidential and expert advice on a range of health issues. They can help you prepare for many of the common illnesses like coughs and colds and ensure you have a well-stocked medicine cabinet over the holiday period.

NHS.UK

You can find a wealth of trusted advice about hundreds of health conditions and details of GPs, pharmacies and dentists in your local area by visiting the NHS.uk website: www.nhs.uk. It also includes a symptom checker.

NHS 111

When you need medical help or advice fast, but it is not a 999 emergency, you can also call the NHS 111 service. NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and calls are free from mobiles and landlines.

If you need medical care for illnesses you cannot treat yourself, then your GP should be your next port of call.

Your Local GP

Your GP should be your first point of contact for non-emergency illnesses you can’t treat yourself. Your GP is available from 8.00am to 6.30pm weekdays.

If you don’t have a GP, you can register with your local surgery. If you’re not sure where this is, you can find out at: www.nhs.uk or call 0300 77 77 007.

GP Out of Hours Service

If your local surgery is closed, you can still see a GP with the GP out-of-hours service; just call 111 and you can speak to a local GP over the phone or face to face if necessary.

It is very likely that you and your family will be seen and treated more quickly using the out-of-hours service than if you were waiting to see a doctor in A&E, especially at busy times.